piercedqt78

a gallon of milk is 8 pounds fyi, I had the same restriction. If you ask the flight attendant will put it in the overhead for you.

Yay!!!!

I order a single entrée, no sides, or I pick at my husbands or daughters plate. Today we went to Cracker Barrel, I had 1/4 of a piece of hubby's fish, and ordered a side of pinto beans. My lunch was 100% protein, filling and only cost less than $3. Sometimes I ask for a salad, and request the grilled chicken, and asked for about 1/4 of the lettuce that should go on it. That way I get the chicken, cheese, and tomatoes, cucumbers and dressing. Or like someone else said, I do a shrimp or lobster add on. I'm in Florida, so fresh seafood is available everywhere. Leftovers are harder for me, since I don't think seafood reheats well. My favorite place to eat is Chipotle, I get a single soft taco, and just ask them to make it without the shell, they put all of the good stuff on a sheet of foil, and I eat it like a burrito bowl.

I had surgery at St. Vincent's riverside location. I used Dr. Miro Uchal.

Can you just buy a bra extender? They are exactly what they sound like, a piece of fabric that clips to both the loops and the hooks to give you more room around, without having to get the cups bigger. I have bought them high end lingere stores, as well as on ebay.

I agree, I have brought my own food twice now to "cookouts" and family get togethers. I also brought my own food to a kids birthday party, it was at chuck e cheese, and I knew there was nothing on the menu for me. I bought a small chicken salad and some strawberry yogurt.

I was told to crush them and have them mixed with either applesauce, or yogurt.

I didn't have one. And I had very little pain post-op.

I got my plastic bowls with lids at the dollar tree. I believe there were 3 or 4 for a $1. And I bought matching plastic cups, and baby spoons that came in a small plastic case about the size of a glasses case. It was a great way to take them with me, and keep them clean.

I just checked my BMI after doing my weekly weigh-in, and I'm officially overweight. I'm not longer MO, or even obese!!!! If it weren't 10:15pm, I would go outside and shout it to the moon and stars. I don't want my neighbors thinking I'm a total nut, so I will just come here and do my little happy dance!!

My knee would buckle about every 5th step. It was no longer tracking correctly, and did not support my weight at all. The second time around was actually much much easier. The first knee was a one size fits all kind of deal, the second was custom fit in the operating room by a rep from Smith and Nephew. So I think the proper fit played a HUGE part in my recovery.

I got everything at Walmart for less than $10. The dish that says "Hope" was only $3. The gems were $3, and the tall skinny jar was only $1. I figure the one that says hope is pretty, and I will keep it out when I have lost all of my weight. I will pour the clear "fake water" that hardens over my gems, since I never plan to move them back to the need to lose jar.

I'm right there with you, surgery was may 8th, and I'm down 31 pounds.

I'm in Jacksonville surgery was 05-08-13

Tonight we went to a seafood place, bonefish grill, and my husband ordered. I asked if they had any smaller portions of the main menu and the waitress said my husband could "add on" a half portion of just about anything on the menu. I had 2 large scallops, 2 shrimp, some spinach and some goat cheese as an "add on" and it was only $10, vs the $22 for the full sized meal. I figure that it wouldn't reheat very well, so I did the half. After my husband tried a bite of each, it was just a bit more than I could eat so I ended up sending a few bites back anyway. My point is, it's always a good idea to ask if they offer an add on or upgrade option.

I had to have a tkr at 29. It sucks to have the restrictions on running, as that was something I enjoyed before I gained the weight. I had the left one done, and the right one needs to be done, but as I drop pounds I am seeing that the pain is better. I am still bone on bone, and will have the right one done, eventually. I will suggest inquiring about the smith and nephew knee, I have actually had my left knee done twice, the first time was a failed tkr. The implant failed and had to be replaced. I opted for the smith and nephew the second time, and it was a day and night difference.

You could just say you had stomach surgery (hernia?), or the gallbladder. Both require a restricted diet during post-op. Then say you were doing do good on the post-op diet that you decided to stick with it. That's what my best friend told everyone after his RNY. He was almost a year out before anyone other than me, and his parents knew.

I only had 3 bad/ugly things, the drain being removed. I made the mistake of watching, and holy crap that thing is really in there, it made a weird noise when she pulled it out and the room started spinning. It didn't hurt, but I think the combo of being light headed from pain meds, and then watching made me a bit woozy. And 2, I was bruised, really really bad on my entire stomach for like 4 weeks. I had the heparin shots in my stomach for 3 days in the hospital. And it took forever for my skin to get back to normal. And 3. the leak test stuff tasted like dish soap, and was about the same consistency. I would have preferred barium I think.

You are registered if you are posting. Were you denied the chance to post? I know there is at least one "forum" that has a restriction of xxx posts before you can post.

I had a slipped band and was covered all in one surgery. My policy states that I cannot have lost more than 50% of my access weight. I did not require anything else, other than the doctor writing a letter, since I was unable to keep anything down, including most liquids, he did a phone interview, and they did a rush review. He stated to the insurance that if not I would need to be inpatient while they made up their minds, since it was 90+ degrees here and I was unable to take in fluids. They approved me on the spot, I had surgery the next day.

I'm going to the craft store tomorrow to get supplies. This is a great idea, I will share this at group next week.

Look at the local surgeons if there are any, I'm sure they would allow you to join their group. If not do what I did when I was banded (when it was first approved by the FDA) and start a group, it can be informal, just meet for coffee, at Panera, (something for everyone) and you can sit in the comfy chairs and talk, get to know each other and even discuss the sleeve, LOL. I made some amazing friendships that way, they even had a going away party when I moved from Chicago to Jacksonville FL. And one of them has been here to visit since my move. They can really become solid friendships, and sometimes that is enough to help with some of the life issues that we deal with. I really wish you peace, comfort, and hope. I always wish for hope, since in my mind Hope is what makes the future possible, and what keeps us human.

I'm so very sorry for your loss. There is no pain greater than the loss of a child. I know you said $ is an issue, can you find a place that works on a sliding scale based on income? Many of them will waive the copays. Something else to consider is group therapy. I know that most hospitals have a group for grieving parents. Another would be a local sleeve group therapy. If nothing else, maybe it would give you something to do other than eat when you are feeling blue. I know my surgeon has a group that meets every other Tues, and they talk about ways to fill the void of food. I'm new here as well, but was a member at the sister site for lapbands for years, and I can tell you that there is no greater place to vent, celebrate, or just let it all out than here. I made friends on the lapband site that I am still friends with 8 years later. We even did a weekend at Disney a few years back. You just never know what kind of friendships may come from the most surprising places. (((hugs)))

I'm also near Jacksonville. I can eat ground beef, but I seem to have issues if it is formed into a patty, meatloaf or meatball. For 4th of July my parents cooked out and I took a 1/4 of a burger and crumbled it up with my fork, I put a dab of steak sauce on my plate and did fine. Then I got over confident and Sat I took 1/4 of a patty at another bbq, and tried to eat it in bites. I don't know if I took too big of a bite, or if I didn't chew well enough but I was miserable for about an hour. At least I know for now what I need to do. I'm also right at 8 weeks postop. ETA: I did really really lean beef, and when I eat it as ground beef, I cook it and rinse it with super hot water to rinse off as much grease as possible, always have done it this way.

I had a lapband for almost 8 years, and was converted to the sleeve in May so this has been a long time coming.